Nigeria’s cost of living crisis worsened in March 2025 as food inflation surged to 21.79 percent year-on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said.
In a report released today, the NBS said the inflation is caused by the hike in price of essential staples such as garri, rice, and fresh produce, with the month-on-month data showing food inflation rose to 2.18 percent up from 1.67 percent in February.
The NBS also said fresh ginger, yellow garri, Ofada rice, natural honey, crabs, potatoes, plantain flour, and fresh pepper are key contributors to the spike as prices for these items rose by double digits due to supply issues, seasonal shortages, and soaring transportation costs.
According to NBS data, food inflation varied across states. On a year-on-year basis, Oyo State (34.41%), Kaduna (31.14%) and Kebbi (30.85%) recorded the highest increases, while Bayelsa (9.61%), Adamawa (12.41%), and Akwa Ibom (12.60%) saw slower rises.
Also, the month-on-month data revealed Kaduna (18.85%), Osun (16.49%), and Oyo (14.44%) saw a price surge, while Sokoto (-14.10%), Nasarawa (-9.91%), and Edo (-5.78%) experienced reduction n food inflation. The NBS linked these drops to localised harvests and state backed subsidy initiatives.
Daily Sun
